British queen arrives in Germany on state visit

Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are welcomed by Simon McDonald, British ambassador to Germany (R) on their arrival at Tegal airport in Berlin, Germany June 23, 2015. Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh are on a three day state visit to Germany. [Photo/Agencies]

BERLIN - British Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Berlin on Tuesday, kicking off her four-day state visit to Germany.

The queen, accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was welcomed with a 21-gun salute by the German military when she arrived at Berlin's Tegel International Airport on Tuesday evening.

Led by a motorcycle escort, the royal couple was then taken to the capital's Adlon Hotel located near the historical Brandenburg Gate, where they will reside during their stay in Berlin.

Despite the rain, plenty of people gathered along the streets leading to the hotel, hoping for a glimpse of the 89-year-old monarch.

The queen's state visit will focus on Berlin and Germany's financial hub of Frankfurt.

Besides meetings with German President Joachim Gauck and Chancellor Angela Merkel, the couple's visit includes a boat trip along the River Spree, a wreath-laying in memory of war victims at the New Guardhouse, as well as a visit to the Technical University of Berlin and a former Nazi concentration camp in the German state of Lower Saxony.

This is the fifth state visit of the British queen to Germany. She previously paid state visits to the country in 1965, 1978, 1992 and 2004.

The queen also paid an official visit to Berlin in 2000 to open the new British Embassy, following a 1987 official visit to mark the 750th anniversary of the city.